A dominant first half performance from Missouri football’s offense ended up being the deciding factor in the Tigers’ 34-12 Homecoming victory over South Carolina.

It was a tale of two halves for the Missouri offense, who paraded through the South Carolina defense in the first two quarters with 24 points and 294 total yards before stalling in the second half, where they would score just 10 points and pick up 124 total yards. The fast start from the Tigers provided a cushion for Missouri to rely on despite struggling in the second half.

“We came out strong,” junior quarterback Brady Cook said. “We picked it up pretty quick, and ultimately, that fast start decided the game. [I’m] super proud of how we started.”

Despite not gaining a single yard on their first drive, the Tigers would score on all of their remaining first half possessions. The first score of the day for Missouri came when Cook launched a 42-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Luther Burden III, who brought the ball in despite being smothered by two defenders.

“Really proud of the energy they had in the first half offensively to come out and score on three of the first four possessions,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

The Tigers’ lone touchdown in the second half came from graduate running back Cody Schrader, who rushed for a career-high of 159 yards. Schrader, who was playing through a quad injury, received 13 handoffs in the second half to close out the game for Missouri.

“I’ve always prided myself on outlasting teams in the fourth quarter,” Schrader said. “That’s where games are won, especially in this league.”

Schrader’s game-sealing touchdown was set up by an interception from Missouri senior defensive back J.C Carlies on the previous defensive drive. 

The Missouri defense was able to hold on to the Tigers’ first half lead despite the Missouri offense punting on all but one of their first four drives in the second quarter. On six second half offensive drives for South Carolina, the Missouri defense only allowed nine points and forced a punt, an interception and a turnover on downs. The Tigers defense consistently pressured South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, sacking him a season-high six times, including four on third downs.

“Our theme all week was rattling Rattler,” Drinkwitz said. “We just felt like we needed to rattle him.”

The heavy pressure on Rattler resulted in the Gamecocks’ lowest scoring game so far this season. The Gamecocks’ first score of the day, a 51-yard field goal from senior kicker Mitch Jeter, did not come until the final minute of the first half. 

“Rattler is a great quarterback,” senior defensive tackle Kristian Williams said. “With our game plan, we just knew going into it that we had to disrupt the quarterback […] as long as we keep disrupting the quarterback, we can disrupt the whole offense.”

The Tigers will now enter a bye week before facing No. 1 Georgia, the current leaders of the SEC East division, on Nov. 4. 

“It’s going to be a big one,” Cook said of the Georgia game. “Especially coming off the bye, we’re going to be ready, we’re going to be prepared, we’re going to give everything we’ve got.”

Missouri, now 7-1, goes into the bye week determined to continue the success it’s built so far this season.

“Why stop now?” Drinkwitz said. “Lot of games left, and we’ve set up a November to remember.”

Edited by Quentin Corpuel | qcorpuel@themaneater.com 

Copy Edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com 

Edited by Sophie Rentschler | srentschler@themaneater.com